Safer Space and Harassment Contact Persons

A safer space is an encouraging and non-threatening environment where everyone can feel good, express themselves and share their experiences without fear of harassment or discrimination. The experience of safety lays the foundation for inclusion. This in turn supports creative collaboration and solutions, as each member of the community feels that they are free to make their own unique contribution to common objectives.

Each person experiences safety and the lack of it differently, and the factors affecting this experience may change over time. For this reason, it is advisable to create and maintain the principles of a safer space together so that everyone has the opportunity to hear about the feelings and perspectives of others.

The principles of a safer space can be created together for the whole workplace or a smaller group, such as one’s own network, individual production or event, one’s own working group or department. In addition to the general principles of the workplace, there may be team-specific principles – for example, the writers’ room or the post-production department can agree on their own principles.

Because the factors affecting the feeling of safety are unique for each person, we typically refer to a “safer” space instead of a “safe” space. No space can be guaranteed to be entirely safe for everyone, and this choice of word emphasizes the fact that a safer space is a living and changing concept. The main goal is to strive for continuous development to make the space safer.

The principles of a safer space may refer to the negotiation process in the community by which the principles are formulated as well as the documentation resulting from this process, such as the principles of a safer space that have been recorded. In addition, harassment contact persons may be appointed to support the implementation of the principles of a safer space.

The principles of a safer space can be different for different communities. For example: Finnish Film Foundation’s Safer Space Guidelines and DocPoint Film Events’ Guidelines for a Safer Space.

The basic idea in building a safer space is to take into account the needs of each member of a work community, such as the workplace or an individual production. These needs can be identified by using various workshop and discussion methods to enable the members to have a discussion about their needs and wishes regarding safety.

The community’s wishes can be recorded and used as the basis for the community’s own principles of a safer space. It should also be noted that the principles may require reviewing, for example, if new people join the community. It is a good idea to make a note in the principles that they will be updated when necessary.

Stop for a moment and think what brings you a sense of safety in the work community. What reduces your sense of safety?

Although even the existence of these principles can support individuals’ sense of safety, it is worth reminding the community of them on a regular basis even after they have been formed. Go through the contents of the principles together from time to time.

However, it is not always possible to negotiate the principles of a safer space with each member of the community. For example, during a film or television production, it may be impossible to find a moment when each person working in the project could participate in the negotiation process. In this case, it is a good idea to ensure that each member of the work community is at least aware of the content of the principles or to have a discussion on safety, for example, within each department.

By law, the employer is obligated to promote health and safety in the workplace. Preventing and intervening in harassment are the employer’s statutory obligations, implemented for their part by each supervisor. Through the development of workplace practices, the employer fulfils its duty of care and monitoring safety.

Building a safer space for each production is also part of the organisation’s equality and diversity work. Studies have shown that psychological safety increases the creativity, courage, well-being, and productivity of employees.

Every individual in the community is also responsible for enabling a safer space for themselves and others. This means, for example, identifying one’s own boundaries and wishes and expressing them to others as well as listening to and genuinely respecting the needs of others.

A harassment contact person is a support person appointed by the employer or members of the community. You can turn to them if you encounter any kind of harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate treatment at work.

It is a good idea to appoint more than one harassment contact person and to choose representatives from various demographics. This is especially important in larger communities, productions and events to ensure that everyone in the community feels safe to report harassment. When more than one harassment contact person is appointed, they are also able to support each other and react to varying situations in a neutral manner.

The task of the harassment contact person is to maintain a safer space by assisting in investigating harassment situations in accordance with workplace practices. They listen, support, advise and refer people to the right kind of help when necessary.

We recommend providing the harassment contact persons with training that introduces them to their role and the practices of building a safer space, coaches them in identifying and naming varying kinds of harassment as well as teaches them conflict resolution skills.

The harassment contact person is not a police officer, a representative of a court, or a prison guard. In cases where a crime is suspected, the matter may be referred to the police, and the contact person can provide support in making the report. They can also refer the person to appropriate support or assistance, such as Mieli Crisis Helpline, Victim Support Finland, Rape Crisis Helpline, a shelter, or legal counselling.

In other cases, the harassment contact person assesses the situation and acts accordingly. In misunderstandings and conflicts, they can, for example, support and help solve the matter by mediating or acting as a convener. In order to achieve a fair and constructive outcome in investigating the situation, the harassment contact person strives to listen to the parties’ experiences of the situation equally.

With the permission of the parties to the conflict, they can ask for help from, for example, supervisors, occupational safety and health representatives, or employee representatives. Sometimes the harassment contact person can refer people to other kinds of support, such as occupational health services. At other times, it is enough to allow a person who has been harassed to share their experiences.